Weft-replenishing mechanism for looms.



PATENTED SEP'LB, 1903..

' A. E., 'A- & G. WALKER.

WEFT REPLBNISHING-MEGHANISM FOR LOOMS.

APPLiOATION FILED MAR. 21, 1902.

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NYENTOHS.

Afro/Mrs PATENTED SEPT. 8, 1903..

v A.'E. A. & G. WALKER.

WBFT RBPLENISHING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

'Arrmuumn TILED MAR. 21, 1902.

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H0 MODEL.

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ATTORNEYS.

PATENTED EPT; s, 1903,

A. EQ, A. & G; WALKER. WEPT REPLENISHING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

APPLIQATION FILED MAR. 21, 1902- H0 MODEL. 5 SHEETS-:SHEBT 5.

m n/(155528 JIM 3% 2o i The line of weft in the cloth--that is, each UNITE T S Patented September 8, 190 3.

PATENT FFICE.

ALBERT EDWARD WALKER, ARTHUR VJALKER, AND GEORGE WALKER,

OF NORWOOD GREEN, NEAR HALIFAX, ENGLAND.

WEFT-REPLENISHING MECHANISM FOR Looms.

erm ne-Arron forming part of Letters Patent No. 738,644, dated September a, 1903. Application filed March 21, N62. Serial No. 99 372. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALBERT EDWARD WALKER, ARTHUR WALKER, and GEORGE WALKER, subjects of theKing of England,

'residing at Norwood Green, near Halifax,

England, have invented'certain new and useful Improvements in .Weft- Replenishing Mechanism for Looms, of which'the following is a specification. Y

'Our invention relates to an improvement in Weft-replenishing mechanism for looms,the

object of same beingto give a continuous supply andcontinuous line of weft in continuously-running looms by automatic weftreplenishing mechanism of a simple, reliable, and economical character.

The manner of carrying out our invention is as follows: The full shuttlesare supplied consecutively from a supply-hopper as they are required without stopping the loom.

3 pick-is complete, thus producing throughout the fabric a perfect weave. tion of a full shuttle and the ejection of a used shuttle,together with the closing of the supply-hopper, are controlled by one action in such a manner and at such a time of the looms movements that the three operations woven by arranging them in proper relative position and proportion in the supply-hopper and operating the shuttle-compartments to meet the requirements of the pattern.

To fully describe our invention, reference is made to the accompanying sheets of drawings, forming. apart of this specification, in

which similar reference numerals indicate i 2 is a plan view of 'the same. a

5 are views of the shuttle retaining and guid- 0 Fig. 6 is an elevacorresponding parts in each of the views.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of such parts of aloom as are necessary to illustrate the. application of ourimprovements. Fig. Figs. 3, 4, and

ing bar on a larger scale.

tion of the revolving or rotary shuttle-box.

The inser- Fig. 11 is a View of the same looking from...

the backof the loom. Fig.12 is an end view of the revolving shuttlebox and the vibrating feeder when they are in the relative positions they occupy when the shuttles are fed. Fig. 13 is a view of a detail hereinafter referred to. Fig. 14 is a cross-section of the rotary' box with a portion of the going part A of the loom showing the cutting device. Fig. 15 is a front view of a part of same. Figs. 16 and 17 are two views of that part of' the cutting device which is fixed to the going 1 part.

At the side of the loom where the shuttles are fed and changed a revolving or rotary shuttle-boxZ is provided to receive the full shuttles 3 from the supply-hopper 4 as they are required. In front of this revolving shuttle-box a vibrating feeder 6 is provided to transfer the said shuttles and for other functions hereinafter described. The vibrating feeder 6 is pivoted on the same center 7 as the going part 8 and is actuated by the cam 9, as hereinafter described. The cam 9 has a dwell 12 upon it, so that after the feeder 6 has been brought into position forthe insertion of a shuttle into the front shuttlecompartment 20 the feeder 6 remains stationary until the transfer is complete. The feeder 6 occupies its position of transfer immediately before the shuttle-compartment 20 reaches it on the going part 8 coming forward. When the going part 8 comes forward, the back of the shuttle-compartment 20 passes overand the front of the said compartment passes under the projecting shuttle, which is then transferred from the feeder 6 into the shuttle compartment 20 by means of the springfingers 5, the shuttle retaining or guiding bar 22, and the shuttle-compartment swell 40, as hereinafter described. The front of the shuttle-compartment 20 touches the fro11t-thatis to say, the side more adjacent to the shuttle-boxo f the feeder 6 on the going part 8 arriving at its most forward position, the transfer being completed when the crank reaches the dead-center on that side of its revolution, thus obtaining the advantages of the slower radial or forward movement of the crank at this point. The feeder 6 in its normal position, as shown in Fig. 1, rests against the supports 16. The spring 9.0 engages the antifriction-roller 91 on the feeder-arms 84 and is intended to have a somewhat retarding action against the inward movement of the feeder 6, so as to tend toward smooth and steady action.-

From the front of the feeder 6 project two spring-fingers 5, upon which the shuttle to be fed rests. These fingers are capable ofbeing pressed from beneath the shuttle into the feeder 6 when their ends come in contact with the lower side-that is to say, the f ront of the front shuttle-compartment on the going part 8 coming forward and meeting them. On the going part and feeder leaving contact with each other the said fingers spring back into their normal position ready to receive the bottom shuttle in the supply-hopper 4 when the feeder returns under it. .As a precaution on the return stroke of the feeder 6 the fingers 5 are positively restored to their normal position by their rear or outer ends coming in contact with the fixed bar 17. The fingers 5 are preferably round in cross-section and work in guide-holes 18 in the feeder. These holes are at right angles to the back of the supply-hopper 4 to insure the shuttles falling truly onto them. The inner ends 19 of the fingers 5 are round or hemispherical in order to conduce to the smooth passage of the shuttles, as well as insuring that the fingers meet the front of each shuttle-compartment uniformly. The spring 28 on each finger 5 is compressed, as shown in Fig. 12, between the collar 29 on the finger and the part of-the feeder against which it bears.

.The retaining and guiding bar 22, running along the top of the back of each shuttle-compartment to guide and bear upon the back of the shuttle therein, is mounted upon the fixed bottom bar 21, having retaining clips or guides 23 at each end. employ screw-studs 24, passing freely through slots 25 and fixed in the bottom bar 21, as an auxiliary means of guiding the bar 22 and preventing the latter from jamming. The parts are so arranged that the strain of guiding and retaining the shuttle is confined to the plate 22 and its end clips or guides 23. The bar 22 is held in its normal position by the two springs 26, compressed between the back of the inclines 27 and the projections 37, fixed to the bottom bar -21. The guide-bar 22 is pushed up when t-heinclines 27 thereon engage the shuttleto be fed, thereby allowing such shuttle to pass under the bar into the shuttle-compartment, for when the inclines 27 engage the edge of the projected shuttle they raise the bar 22 to the level of We find it is an advantage to the shuttle and the bar passes along the top of the shuttle until it reaches the front edge of the shuttle, below which it drops, thus closing upon it and securing it in the shuttlecompartment.

Each shuttle-compartment is provided with a swell 40, the projection 41 on which is arranged to engage the stop -rod finger 42 when each shuttle-compartment is moved to the top position. For this purpose the finger 42 is bent or cran ked around from the stop-rod 77,so as to engage the swell,and its end shaped, as shown in Fig. 1, toallow the swells to move each way past it. There is an extension 44 on the end of each swell beyond its pivot 154, serving to prevent the swell opening too far and also permitting a spring 46 to be arranged between such extension and the end of the recess 47 in order to press the swell inward against the shuttle. As the weight of the shuttle counteracts the efiect of the spring 46 in the back compartment, an auxiliary spring 53, Fig. 1, is provided on the going part 8 to bear on the back of the swell while the swell is in the back position.

While a shuttle is being fed the center of the guide-bar 22 bears upon the fixing 49 on the swell 40 and moves the swell sufficiently to release its pressure against the shuttle, and so allow the shuttle to freely enter the shuttle-compartment. The guide-bar 22 has preferably a projection 48 in the middle for this purpose. At the same time the guide-bar 22 of the shuttle-compartment then at the bottom is moved and acts upon the fixing 49 on the swell of such compartment in the manner hereinafter described for releasing the empty shuttle and allowing it to fall from the box.

The bottom of the supply-hopper 4 is open, and a rest 56 56, forming part of the feeder 6, the top of which is formed to an are or curve struck from the same center of vibration as that of the going part 8, is introduced beneath the shuttles in the hopper to support them and to close the hopper while the shuttle on the fingers 5 is being fed, into the shuttle-compartment opposite it. The top of the rest 56 is located below the level of the top of the shuttlewhich is on the fingers 5, thus allowing the rest 56 to pass freely under the shuttle immediately above the one next to be fed until the latter is passed from beneath the former when the shuttles above then drop onto the rest 56 the short distance allowed for clearance. The drop of the shuttles from the hopper 4 onto the spring-fingers 5 is thus reduced by the distance the shuttles in the hopper fall to meet the curved rest 56 as each shuttle is fed. The full shuttles 3 are piled one above the other in the supply-hopper 4, and on a shuttle being fed slide down first onto the rest 56, and when the latter is withdrawn from beneath them drop onto the spring-fingers '5 immediately the feeder 6 returns to its normal position. (Shown in Fig. 1.)

Down each end of the supply-hopper 4 is a groove or shuttle-tip guide 38, down which in the supply-hopper 4:,there is fixed upon hopper.

clears the top of the shuttle on the fingers 5.

, point.

the front of the hopperthe cover or guard 39, which isopen from top to bottom on the side next the cloth for the clear passage of the threads from the shuttles contained in the This guard is so fixed that it just Thus while guiding the other shuttles it exactlyguides the bottom shuttle into position on the fingers 5. The shuttle-tip guides 38 preferably project below the cover 39 the distance that the level of the tips below the top of the shuttlewill permit, and so maintain their guiding effect to the lowest possible The middle guide preferably extends below the top of the vibrating feeder 6, the front partof which is cut away in the middle 86 to clear this projection, thus insuring the shuttles being truly guided down onto the fingers 5. l

The end pieces or guides 43 on the feeder 6 are provided to engage the extremities of the tips ofthe bottom shuttle as it falls onto the fingers5 andaccurately localize its position thereon, so that the shuttles are consecutively fed with uniformity into the shuttlecompartments. At the same time as a full shuttle is being fed provision is made to allow the used shuttle, which at the time being is in the bottom shuttle-compartment, to be releasedand fall from the box. This consists of two levers 30, pivoted on the stud 31,

- fixed in the bottom plate 21, and each havin}; one end" 33 engaging the pins or projections 32, fixed to the guide-bar 22. The other ends 34 of such levers are each arranged to meet a spring-presser 35 on the vibrating feeder 6 when the shuttle-box comes in contact with the feeder and by actuating such levers withdraw the retaining-bar 22, thus removing its supporting influence on the shuttle also, at the same time the projection 48 on the guide-bar 22 is brought to bear on the part or fixing 49 on the swell 40, thereby releasing the pressure of the swell on-the shuttle, andso leavingit perfectlyfree to fall out. The used shuttles leaving the box fall onto the chute or incline 50, Fig. 1, which, hinged 35 to the rod 51, fixed to. the feeder 6 and traveling with it,rides to and fro on the lower part of the frame 52, supporting the shuttlebox. The chute at that time being more in- 1 clined downward, the shuttle slides off into 60 the receptacle 93, provided for the ejected shuttles.

When the shuttles are placed in the supply-hopper 4., the ends of yarn from each bobbin are secured to the peg 92, Fig. 2, by coiling them separatelyaround it. As the shuttles descend the ends of yarn come down onto the pin 54, fixed to the. hopper, and under the end of the said pin the thread-supporting finger passes at each forward movement of the going part 8. The finger 55 is always under the pin 54 at the time a shuttle is transtransferred withoutinjury to the yarn connected to the peg 92. A

To sever the small quantity of yarn left on the bobbin from thatin the fabric when the shuttle-box turns to bring a new shuttle into operation, the shearing edge 57 on the shuttlecompartment meets the inclined edge 58 of the fixed knife 59 and the thread is out between them. This arrangement is shown in Figs. l t to 17, where-it will be seen that each shuttle-compartment is provided with a cutting edge 57, which is formed upon the plate 10, secured to the inner end of the shuttlebox. The knife 59 is fixed upon the going part 8 and has its cutting edge continually bearing against the plate 10.

The shuttle-box 2 is periodically changed or turned by the usual shuttle-box-turning barrel or cylinder 60 and the usual mechanism thrown into operation thereby. Such mechanism, as shown, consists of the chain of cards 6O on the cylinder 60, which cards by means of their perforations causethe shuttle-box-turning and the shuttle-feedervibrating levers to operate at the required intervals. The cylinder is rotated by means of a ratchet-wheel fixed upon it and apawl attached to the lever 70, Fig.2. The latter is pivoted on the stud 71 and is located behind the arm 61 being supported by .a lifting-rod 60", resting upon and actuated bya cam 60 on the tappet-shaft 75, Fig. 1, at each revolution of the latter. The arrangement for turning the shuttle -,box is as follows:

When the pin at the end of the bell-crank lever 61 falls into a perforation in the cards, the opposite end of the lever moves rearward and actuates the link 61, bringing it into engagement with the lever 61", when the latter rises by the action of the box-turning cam 61 fixed on the tappet-shaft 75. The link 61 is attached to the lever 61, pivoted on the rod 78, and to the other end of said lever is attached the draw-rod 61 the hook of which, 611, engages one of the shuttle boxturning pins, 61, and turnsthe shuttle-box the distance of one compartmentto the rear'.

A duplicate arrangement is provided to Vibrate the feeder 6 atanyprearranged time after an empty shuttle compar'tment is brought into position to receive a new shut tle. This consists of a lever 70, pivoted on the stud 71, which actuates the link orcatch 72 when the latter is required to be operated, so as to cause it to engage the end of the slot 73 in' lever 74. Thelever 74is lifted by the ca'm 9 at every revolution of the usual tappet- I The rod 79 is fixed in. the projections 82, se-

cured to the arms 84 of the feeder 6.

To provide a gentle check to the revolving shuttle-box each time it is turned and to I bring it precisely into its true position, the

box-turning mechanism is provided with an extra hooked rod 94 to engage the usual studs or pins 61 employed to turn the box, but at the opposite side of the box. 'The rod 94 is connected to the usual draw-rod 61 by a slot 95 at the bottom engaging a stud 96, fixed on the rod 61. A spring 97, fixed between the pins 98 and 98 in the rod 61 and bearing on the pin 99, fixed in the rod 94, provides a gentle check at the final movement of the box, and as the movement of the book 94 is limited to the length of the slot 95 the box is brought to its true position with-perfect precision.

It may be advisable in some cases to give the operative control of the shuttle feeding and changing mechanism, in which case we employ two ratchet-wheels on the ca rd-barrel 60, with the object of preventing the cardbarrel making more than one revolution without the intervention of the operative when the loom is in operation. This arrangement, however, forms the subject of a divided application, Serial No. 130,910, filed November 11, 1902, and therefore will not be described in detail herein, except to say that it may be effected by the simple expedient of omitting one tooth from the usual ratchet 100, operating the barrel 60, and keeping the pawl 101 of the additional ratchet 102 normally out of action. As soon as the usual ratchet 100 is turned to the position that the pawl 103 plays over the space of the missing tooth its further turning action on the barrel stops. The two pawls are pivoted on the lever. and vibrate together; but the pawl 101 is kept out of action by engagement with the projection 105 on the sliding rod 106, mounted in the slide-bearings 107 and 107, pressed toward the finger 108 on the pawl 101 by the spiral spring 109 on the rod 106.

Provision is made by the cord 110, guided around in any suitable Way to the front of the loom within convenient reach of the operative, by means of which the rod 106 can be drawn back, so as to allow the pawl 101 to engage its ratchet 102, thus again turning the barrel 60, and consequently bringing the shuttle feeding and changing mechanism into operation. Fig. 13 shows the side view of the ratchet-wheel 100 with the tooth omitted for the purposes described.

We claim- 1. In a loom, the combination of a shuttle supply hopper, a feeder beneath the same, means for reciprocating said feeder, springfingers carried by and projecting from the feeder and normally forming a support for the shuttles in the hopper, a rest fixed to and carried by said feeder, and a shuttle-box which when the feeder is moved will contact with the spring-fingers and press the same back as the shuttle is transferred, said rest supporting the pile of shuttles in the hopper until the feeder is withdrawn and the fingers again projected, substantially as described.

2. In aloom, the combination with a feeder and means for reciprocating same, of a pair of fingers carried in guide-holes of the feeder and a shuttle-box, a fixed bar carried by a part of the loom at the rear of the fingers whereby the fingers may be positively restored to their normal position by their rear or outer end coming in contact with said bar on the return of the feeder, substantially as described.

3. In a loom, the combination with a shuttle-box, a shuttle-supply hopper, of a feeder beneath same, and means for reciprocating said feeder, of fingers for supporting the shuttles in the hopper, guides for same carried by said feeder, springs for normally projecting said fingers forward of the feeder, and end guides carried by and projecting forward of the feeder to engage the extremities of the shuttle on the fingers and localize its position thereon, substantially as described.

4. In a loom, the combination with a feeder, means for reciprocating same, a rotary shuttle-box and means for carrying and reciproeating it, of a chute for receiving the empty shuttles, means for pivotally connecting it to said feeder, and means carried by the rotary shuttle-box-carrying means for supporting the free end of said chute whereby the angle of inclination of the chute is increased with the movement of the feeder, substantially as described.

5. In a loom, the combination with a shuttle-box, a shuttle-supply hopper, of a feeder beneath same, havinga cut-away part and means for reciprocating said feeder, of a rest carried by said feeder, and adapted to enter said hopper, and a guide at the back of said the cut-away part to insure the guiding of the shuttles onto the feeder, substantially as described.

6. In a loom, the combination with a rotary shuttle-box having a number of shuttle-compartments, of a shuttle-retaining bar for each compartment, means for movably holding same thereto, springs for keeping each normally projecting over the side entrance to its compartment, and an inclined edge carried by each bar, adapted to be struck by the shuttle to raise same and permit its entrance, substantially as described.

7. In a loom, the combination with a rotary shuttle-box having a number of shuttle-compartments, and a feeder, and means for reciprocating same, of a shuttle-retaining bar for each compartment, means for movably holdhopper extending below same and entering 1 ing same thereto, springs for keeping each draw the bar when the compartment'is inverted so that an empty shuttle can be dis.-.

charged, substantially as described.

8..In a loom, the combination with a rotary shuttle-box having a number of shuttlecompartments, of a shuttle-retaining bar for each compartment, means for movably holding same thereto, guides for insuring the correct movement of each bar, springs for keeping each bar normally projecting over the side entrance to its, compartment, a pair of levers pivotedto the front of each compartment, means carried byeach shuttle-retaining bar for connecting it withone end of each 1ever and means carried by another part of the loom for striking the, free ends of such levers when the compartment is inverted so that an empty shuttle can be discharged, substantially as described.

. 9. In a loom, the combination with a rotary shuttle-box having a number of shuttlecompartments, .of a shuttle-retaining device for each compartment, comprising a slotted guide-bar, a bottom plate on'whichsuch bar is slidably mounted, projections on said plate, inclines on the bar, springs between said projections and inclines, studs carried by said bottom plate, and passing through the slots of the bar, a pair oflevers pivoted to the bottom plate, and parts carried by the bar to engageone of the ends of said levers, so that movement imparted to the latter can raise the bar against the action of the springs,substantiallyas described.

1 0. In a loom, the combination with a rotaryshuttle-b'ox having a number of shuttlecompartments, and a feeder and means for reciprocating same, of a retaining device over theside en trance to each compartmentadapted to retain the shuttle therein, and a presser carried by the feeder adapted to be broughtinto the path of the retaining device to withdrawsame and discharge an empty shuttle,

substantially as described.

11. In a loom, the combination with a rotary shuttle-box having a number of shuttle-- compartments and a swell in each compartment, of a projection carried by each swell, and a movable retaining-bar mounted over and protecting the side entrance to each compartment, said projection being in the path of movement ofsuch bar whereby the bar when it is raised will raise theswell to release a shuttle in the compartment, or to allow one to enter as the case maybe, substantially as described.

12. In a loom, the combination with a rotary shuttle-box having a number of shuttlecompartments, of a finger adapted to receive and support the end of the weft preparatory to feeding such weft into'the fabric to be woven, substantially as described.

13. In a loom, the combination with arotary shuttle-box having a number of shuttlecompartments, and the going part carrying said box, of cutting edges on the deliveryend of said shuttle-box, and a fixed cutter carried v shuttle out of use, substantially as described.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT EDWARD WALKER. ARTHUR WALKER. GEORGE WALKER.

Witnesses:

SAMUEL DRAcUP, OEcIL A.S. BAXTER. 

